LI News, August 1, 2013

Women’s rights are one of the core pillars of LI’s Human Rights Project. So it is with disappointment that LI VP on the Bureau, Abir Al-Sahlani MP (Centerpartiet, LI full member), read the findings of FNF’s (LI Cooperating Organisation) most recent report on the increased domestic violence against women in India.

Al-Sahlani, who is also the Chair of LI’s Human Rights Committee, said: “We can’t allow for society in India to hide behind cultural or religious factors in order to justify customs harmful to women’s dignity, health and well-being. Women must be treated as equal citizens and no longer be marginalized in their own societies. We need to strengthen women’s voices around the world by ensuring that no girl ever goes uneducated as this is key to women’s empowerment. The question politicians in India must ask themselves is: what kind of state is unable to guarantee the well-being of half its population?”

Vice President Al-Sahlani has been previously vocal about violence against women in India in light of the brutal cases of rape which occurred in the country last year. According to the report crimes against women in India have risen by 59% in the past 10 years including a rise in criminal acts such as dowry murders, acid attacks, honour killings, rape, abduction, and cruelty by husbands and in-laws. As a central concern of LI’s Human Rights Committee’s work, violence against women will be a central topic of discussion at the upcoming LI Human Rights Committee session at the 191st Executive Committee meeting in Guatemala.

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